The Harford County Board of Education on Monday intensely debated a proposed policy that would limit which flags and banners could be presented in school buildings.
According to the policy, the American flag, Maryland flag and Harford County flag would be the only ones that could be displayed on public school property, which extends to “every classroom, conference room, school office, gymnasium, cafeteria, auditorium, stadium and other rooms frequented by students.”
Some board members said they see the policy as a restriction on First Amendment rights, while others said they view it as way to unify students and faculty under common flags.
Student board member Madina Sabirova spoke against the policy on Monday, accusing the proposal of “targeting a certain demographic of students and teachers.” Sabirova called into question how the potential policy change betters the school environment for students and faculty. The student member of the board does not have voting rights.
Carol Mueller, the board member who represents District C, called the policy “ridiculous.”
“I do not believe the intent of this is to promote the American flag as much as it is to keep out other flags,” Mueller said.
District E board member Carol Bruce asked what differentiates a flag from a banner and raised concerns about getting approval from the superintendent to hang banners to honoring Black History Month or LGBTQ pride.
“Would this be a flag or banner that we’re talking about?” Bruce said. “I think we’re putting the responsibility on the superintendent to approve certain things, and I am concerned about that.”
The proposed policy would permit the display of specific flags and banners used temporarily in approved curriculums, scholastic recognition such as Blue Ribbon and Green School designations, sports tournament banners for school teams and banners supporting colleges and professional sports teams. The policy would also allow flags of other countries shown in the common areas of a school building with the superintendent’s approval. However, they cannot be “as large or as prominent as the current American flag.”
Board members in support of the policy said creating a blanket, restrictive flag policy will help the school system avoid potential legal disputes.
“I think it’s valuable because it unites us all under the flag,” at-large board member Terri Kocher said. “We cannot pick and chose. We don’t want to open ourselves to grievances, we cannot post every single flag that there is.
“If someone comes in with a flag that you don’t like, can you post that, too? How can you say no to one flag and not another flag? That’s the problem.”
School board Vice President Melissa Hahn warned the board about the risk of lawsuits by citing a 2022 Supreme Court ruling in which the court unanimously found the City of Boston violated the First Amendment rights of conservative activist Harold Shurtleff by denying his request to display a Christian flag on a flagpole outside City Hall.
“If HCPS allows other flags other than the United States flag, the Maryland flag or the Harford County flag, we are opening ourselves up to such discrimination lawsuits,” Hahn said. “This flag policy prevents that from happening and fosters unity among students and staff.”
Prior to the board’s discussion on the policy, multiple students and teachers spoke against the proposal. Students and staff explained how the new policy could impact LGBTQ students and their peers at school, where some already experience homophobia and transphobia.
“With today’s proposed policy on flags, you are driving not only me but many of the other amazing staff in HCPS away. Staff who have spent countless amounts of time cultivating their craft to give the best education possible,” Harford County paraeducator Max Jackse said. “[Students] will withdraw from their communities, be disengaged from their learning, they will be bullied and targeted more than they already are.”
Valerie Simmons, a 17-year-old Harford County public schools student, stood at the podium with a transgender flag draped over her shoulders. Simmons described her school environment as overwhelming, and said she faces constant comments about being a transgender woman. Simmons also explained how threats have made her stop using gendered public bathrooms, leaving her to use a single-access restroom in the school’s library.
“I find the new flag policy proposed by the board to be ludicrous,” Simmons said. “That’s why I brought this flag with me tonight just in case this flag is banned from schools. This policy is very targeted at flags like this one.”
Multiple speakers accused the board of targeting LGBTQ students and staff with the proposed policy, and some attendees referenced an email chain from last year between Hahn and Kocher. In the email chain, obtained via a FIOA request, Hahn wrote: “That to me leaves that open for a principal to say sure you can put the LGBTQ flag up in your classroom.”
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During Monday’s debate Hahn used several other flags as examples, such as “a Christian flag, Trump flag or Biden flag, an Israeli flag or a Palestinian flag.” In an email to The Aegis, Hahn said she was using the LGBTQ flag as an example in her email messages to Kocher.
“All of those flags cause division, as we are showing support for one group over another,” Hahn said in an email to The Aegis.
The school board did not vote on the flag policy during Monday’s meeting; they are set to vote on it in April. The proposed policy will now move to public comment. Anyone can send their opinions on the matter via Harford County’s school board website (https://www.hcps.org/boe/) for one month.
Similar flag policies have been up for debate by school boards in other counties. In 2022, Carroll County’s school board voted to only permit American, Maryland and Carroll County flags, as well as flags or banners related to student or sports achievements, on school grounds. In July, the Anne Arundel County school board voted down a controversial proposal to ban flags that don’t “promote national, state, and local government pride.”
Carroll County and Anne Arundel County have also moved in recent years to ban LGBTQ+ pride flags from school grounds.”]”]
